The known state of the art offers methods to electronically protect data that is relevant to regulatory compliance. A weighing scale is disclosed in DE 4445526 C2 wherein the measurement transducer is tied to a switching element that is secured with a verification seal. In order to change data that is subject to verification of regulatory compliance, the switching element has to be flipped over. An electronic means of securing the verified status with password protection is disclosed in DE 19747323 C2.
To mechanically protect components that are relevant to regulatory compliance, the respective components are enclosed in a housing. An authorized individual, for example an employee of a government agency for Weights and Measures or another official representative, puts the instrument into condition to pass verification. The housing is subsequently closed up and receives a verification mark. The verification mark serves to document the verification and also to prevent an undetected or unauthorized access to components relevant to regulatory compliance.
State-of-the-art verification marks include for example verification seals, verification stamps, or wire seals. The verification mark is affixed to the closed housing in such a way that opening the housing causes the verification mark to be destroyed. An intact verification mark is therefore proof that the housing has not been opened.
In addition to the components that are relevant to the verification for regulatory compliance, the housing normally also contains components that are not relevant to regulatory compliance. Components without relevance to regulatory compliance can include for example electrical connectors, batteries, or similar components.
If an instrument meets the conditions for regulatory compliance, the housing of the instrument is closed up and protected against unauthorized access with a verification mark. The instrument thereby obtains the status of being “verified”. If a component other than those that are relevant for verification needs to be accessed, the housing needs to be opened, whereby the verification mark will necessarily be destroyed. The destruction of the verification mark sets the instrument back to the status of “non-verified”. In order to restore the status of “verified”, an authorized person will have to examine the instrument, and the verification mark will have to be affixed again. This examination takes time and causes expenditures. To circumvent this problem, the components that are relevant for regulatory compliance are arranged under a verification cap inside the housing, so that the components that are subject to verification can only be accessed by removing the verification cap. Furthermore, the verification cap is secured by a verification mark. When the verification cap is removed, the verification mark will necessarily be damaged. An undamaged verification mark thus means proof that the verification cap has not been removed and that no changes could have been made in the components that are relevant to regulatory compliance verification. Accordingly, the instrument keeps the status of being verified.
In the instruments of the known state of the art, the verification marks are arranged in the interior of the housing. In an examination of the instrument by a Weights and Measures representative, the instrument needs to be opened. Often, a specially trained service technician is needed to open the instrument. Consequently, an examination of the verification status requires the presence of a Weights and Measures representative as well as a service technician, which involves a considerable expense and organizational effort. In the process of opening the instrument, the problem can occur that the housing and/or the seals that are arranged between the parts of the housing may get damaged.